🖼AP Art History Unit 2 – Ancient Mediterranean Art, 3500–300 BCE

Key Civilizations and Time Periods

• Ancient Egypt (3500-30 BCE) developed a distinctive style characterized by hieroglyphics, pyramids, and stylized human figures
• Mesopotamia (3500-539 BCE) encompassed Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures known for ziggurats, carved reliefs, and cuneiform writing
• Aegean cultures, including Cycladic (3200-2000 BCE), Minoan (2000-1400 BCE), and Mycenaean (1600-1100 BCE), flourished in the Greek islands and mainland
  • Cycladic art is known for its abstract marble figurines with folded arms
  • Minoan art features vibrant frescoes, intricate pottery, and the Palace of Knossos
  • Mycenaean art is characterized by its impressive citadels (Mycenae and Tiryns) and gold funerary masks
• Ancient Greece (800-31 BCE) underwent significant artistic development during the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods
  • The Archaic period (800-480 BCE) is known for the emergence of life-sized marble sculptures (kouroi and korai)
  • The Classical period (480-323 BCE) saw the creation of idealized, naturalistic sculptures and the construction of the Parthenon
  • The Hellenistic period (323-31 BCE) is characterized by a more dramatic, expressive style and the spread of Greek influence throughout the Mediterranean

Major Artistic Developments

• The development of monumental architecture, including pyramids (Egypt), ziggurats (Mesopotamia), and temples (Greece)
• The evolution of sculpture from abstract, stylized forms (Cycladic figurines) to naturalistic, idealized representations (Classical Greek sculptures)
  • Egyptian sculptures were often frontal, static, and adhered to strict proportions
  • Greek sculptures became increasingly lifelike, with contrapposto stance and detailed anatomy
• The use of various materials, such as stone, bronze, gold, and ivory, for artistic purposes
• The creation of intricate decorative arts, including pottery, jewelry, and textiles
  • Greek black-figure and red-figure pottery techniques allowed for detailed narratives and scenes
• The development of painting techniques, such as fresco (Minoan art) and encaustic (Fayum mummy portraits)
• The emergence of distinct architectural orders in Ancient Greece (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian)
• The incorporation of narrative and mythology into art, particularly in Greek and Roman works

Iconic Works and Artifacts

• The Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt, c. 2550 BCE), the largest and most famous of the Egyptian pyramids
• The Code of Hammurabi (Mesopotamia, c. 1754 BCE), a stele featuring the Babylonian king and his code of laws
• The Palette of Narmer (Egypt, c. 3100 BCE), a ceremonial palette depicting the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
• The Mask of Agamemnon (Mycenae, c. 1600-1500 BCE), a gold funerary mask discovered at Mycenae
• The Parthenon (Athens, 447-432 BCE), the iconic temple dedicated to Athena on the Athenian Acropolis
  • The Parthenon frieze depicts the Panathenaic procession, a festival in honor of Athena
• The Winged Victory of Samothrace (Greece, c. 200-190 BCE), a Hellenistic sculpture of Nike, the goddess of victory
• The Rosetta Stone (Egypt, 196 BCE), a decree inscribed in hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Ancient Greek, crucial for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs
• The Riace Bronzes (Greece, c. 460-430 BCE), two life-sized bronze sculptures of Greek warriors

Materials and Techniques

• Stone, particularly limestone and marble, was widely used for architecture and sculpture
  • Egyptian pyramids were constructed using limestone blocks
  • Greek temples and sculptures were often made of marble
• Bronze casting allowed for the creation of detailed, freestanding sculptures (Riace Bronzes)
• Gold was used for decorative purposes, such as jewelry and funerary masks (Mask of Agamemnon)
• Ivory was carved into intricate objects, such as the Pyxis of al-Mughira (Mesopotamia, c. 968 CE)
• Fresco painting involved applying pigments to wet plaster, as seen in Minoan palaces (Palace of Knossos)
• Encaustic painting used heated beeswax mixed with pigments, employed in Fayum mummy portraits (Egypt, c. 1st-3rd century CE)
• Clay was used for pottery and terracotta sculptures, with techniques like black-figure and red-figure painting (Ancient Greece)
• The lost-wax method was used for bronze casting, allowing for hollow sculptures and intricate details

Cultural and Religious Influences

• Ancient Egyptian art was heavily influenced by religion, with gods and goddesses depicted in paintings, sculptures, and hieroglyphs
  • The pharaoh was considered a divine ruler, and much of the art glorified their power and afterlife
• Mesopotamian art often depicted kings and their accomplishments, as well as religious ceremonies and deities
  • The Sumerian deity Inanna/Ishtar, goddess of love and war, was frequently represented in art
• Greek art was influenced by the ideals of beauty, proportion, and harmony, as well as the importance of the human form
  • Greek mythology played a significant role in art, with gods, goddesses, and mythological scenes depicted in sculpture, pottery, and architecture
• The Minoan culture was influenced by its maritime trade and the natural world, as reflected in its vibrant frescoes and marine motifs
• The Mycenaean culture was known for its warrior society, as evidenced by the depiction of weapons and warfare in its art
• Roman art was influenced by Greek art, but also incorporated elements of realism and portraiture
  • The Roman pantheon, which absorbed many Greek deities, was often depicted in art

Architectural Achievements

• The Egyptian pyramids, particularly the Great Pyramid of Giza, demonstrate advanced engineering and construction techniques
  • The pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs and their families, reflecting the importance of the afterlife in Egyptian culture
• Mesopotamian ziggurats, such as the Ziggurat of Ur (Iraq, c. 2100 BCE), were massive stepped temples dedicated to the gods
• The Minoan Palace of Knossos (Crete, c. 1700-1400 BCE) is known for its complex layout, vibrant frescoes, and advanced drainage systems
• Mycenaean citadels, such as Mycenae and Tiryns (Greece, c. 1400-1200 BCE), featured massive stone walls and impressive fortifications
• The Parthenon (Athens, 447-432 BCE) is the epitome of Classical Greek architecture, with its perfect proportions and Doric columns
  • The Parthenon was built to house a massive gold and ivory statue of Athena, the city's patron goddess
• The Erechtheion (Athens, c. 421-405 BCE) is known for its unique design, incorporating the Porch of the Caryatids with its sculpted female figures serving as columns
• The Great Altar of Pergamon (Turkey, c. 180-160 BCE) is a monumental Hellenistic structure with a elaborate frieze depicting the Gigantomachy

Symbolism and Themes

• The afterlife and the journey into the underworld were central themes in Ancient Egyptian art
  • The Book of the Dead, a collection of funerary texts, was often illustrated with scenes of the deceased's journey and judgment
• The power and authority of the ruler were common themes in both Egyptian and Mesopotamian art
  • The Narmer Palette (Egypt, c. 3100 BCE) depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer
  • The Standard of Ur (Mesopotamia, c. 2600-2400 BCE) shows scenes of war and peace, emphasizing the king's role in both
• The idealization of the human form and the pursuit of perfection were key themes in Greek art
  • The Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) by Polykleitos (Greece, c. 440 BCE) exemplifies the Greek ideal of the perfect male form
• Mythology and the relationship between gods and humans were prevalent in Greek art
  • The Parthenon frieze depicts the Panathenaic procession, a festival in honor of Athena
  • The Pergamon Altar frieze portrays the battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants
• The conquests of Alexander the Great and the spread of Hellenistic culture are reflected in the art of the period
  • The Nike of Samothrace (Greece, c. 200-190 BCE) celebrates a naval victory and the power of the Hellenistic kingdoms

Legacy and Impact on Later Art

• The idealized human form in Greek art influenced the development of Roman sculpture and later Western art
  • The contrapposto stance, introduced by the Greeks, became a staple in Classical and Renaissance art
• The architectural orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) established by the Greeks were widely adopted in Roman, Renaissance, and Neoclassical architecture
• The realism and attention to detail in Hellenistic art inspired Roman portraiture and later European art movements, such as Baroque and Neoclassicism
• Egyptian art, with its hieroglyphs, stylized figures, and monumental architecture, captured the imagination of later artists and influenced movements like Art Deco
• Mesopotamian art, particularly its intricate relief carvings and use of cuneiform writing, provided insights into ancient Near Eastern cultures and their influence on later civilizations
• The rediscovery of ancient art during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment led to a renewed interest in Classical themes and aesthetics
  • Artists like Michelangelo and Raphael drew inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman sculptures
  • Neoclassical artists, such as Jacques-Louis David and Antonio Canova, sought to emulate the ideals and forms of Classical art
• The decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs and the excavation of ancient sites in the 19th and 20th centuries fueled public fascination with ancient art and archaeology
  • The discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 sparked a global interest in Ancient Egyptian art and culture